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{
    "id": 1237388,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1237388/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 151,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Homa Bay Town, ODM",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Peter Kaluma",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you Hon. Temporary Speaker, I sit in the Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs which vetted the nominee. I made it clear that I was not just impressed by his knowledge of the matters falling under the charge of the National Police Service Commission, but also has the passion to serve the country in the capacity of nomination. I happen to have known the nominee from the time I was leaving the university. The nominee just joined university when I was leaving. Even at that very point where we were struggling to know freshers, he struck me out as a person capable to lead. In terms of the requirements of the law, the nominee is overqualified. We are required to confirm whether the nominee has attained the number of years in legal practice that will enable him to be a judge of the High Court and what is required by the Constitution is 10 years. The nominee is in his 18th year going to his 19th year of practice. Most interesting it has been indicated in the observations the various law firms in which he has served. Firms which are not the so-called liberal firms or ambulance chasing firms, but firms which have been engaging very meaningfully and serving Kenyans through the legal sector. The nominee has been a member of the Tax Appeals Tribunal. Tribunals under the Constitution and the law are now part of the Judiciary. So, this is a person who has also served in judicial capacity. The nominee is the first, for those Members who never listened to the Mover, Speaker of Nandi County. He has the knowledge of the legislative processes to help the county assembly work through from its inception. I met this nominee in a media debate at one time. And those who have met him, though he is very rare in media, can confirm to you that this is not just a person that is deeply knowledgeable, but he is also very passionate and patriotic. The most interesting thing is that we are dealing with the fight against corruption and let me commend the nominating authority for the first time on this matter. We have had questions about people who have been nominated and people who are serving in public offices but lack integrity and people who are faced with corruption charges. How beautiful, therefore, can it be, colleague Members, that it is being confirmed to us that this nominee is a person who despite having served as an advocate for 18 years has never been convicted and has never been charged before any court of law. The stamp of authority is being given to his integrity by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) which confirms no issue. The Higher Education Loans Board has also confirmed and everybody else has also confirmed. I did not want to take much time, but I emphasise the fact that while approving this nominee we remember as a House the critical function served by the National Police Service Commission. Hon. Members may not know that the Police Service does not entirely recruit police officers. It is the National Police Service Commission that recruits, promotes, and deals with issues of transfer of officers as an ultimate mandate. It has also disciplinary control where you go to if an officer from your constituency is being discharged unfairly. Therefore, I stand in support to say that having a person who has served in the judicial authority in the tax tribunal, and who is a lawyer with 18 years of practice mainly on matters of human rights, labour and employment issues, is the right candidate to join other Kenyans in serving that Commission. More so, when we are dealing with those challenges such as the Shakahola things, which make us question whether we should be recruiting new officers."
}